


🆂🅼🅾🅺🅴 🅵🆁🅴🅴

by L0V3R_B0Y



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, M/M, life issues, sad stuff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2020-03-08 04:19:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18887053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/L0V3R_B0Y/pseuds/L0V3R_B0Y





	1. 프롤로그 : 하나

_**Click** **~** _

...

**_Click~_ **

**_…_ **

**_Click~_ **

 

**A small sprite of the red and orange alights from the handheld lighter of Nakamoto Yuta  .**

**He’d seen people flick a lighter to life a lot but had done it countless times himself.**

**The little spurring light in his hand he was always entranced by.**

**The element he controlled in one lighter has done wonders for him since he was 16, The fire lights up the carcinogens that he’s been addicted to for most of his youth.**

**Smoking. It's not good but it suffices as a pass time, stress breaker as well as a sanity stabilizer. He’s always had a pack of cancer sticks somewhere on him, a cigarette of any brand is always trapped between his plump lips getting raped of its harmful contents in his puffs on it.**

**Stale vapors he exhales adding to the already suffocating pollution, he’s wasting what oxygen there is.**

**He believes he can live without air, his air is his ash and cigar contents that he breathes on a daily.**

**Smoking is his life, cigars are his first love.**

 


	2. 프롤로그 : 두

**“45,000 won is your total”**

**Same cycle..**

**“Thank you”**

**Cash goes in the register, Groceries are sent off with the customer**

**“Hello, this all for you?”**

**His hands are busy, His mind is gone.**

**“1,500 won is your total”**

**More cash in the register, he keeps smiling, the boredom adds up to his small paycheck.**

**“Thank you, have a nice evening”**

**3 hours left.**

**“Hello, did you find everything alright?”**

**Waking up, going to work, going home, eating and going to bed. Normal life.**

**The normal life of Dong Sicheng. He’s not known much else past the walls of his workplace. He comes and goes. He’s not lived in Seoul very long, he’s been here a maximum of 5 months. As for this boy there's nothing special about him. Work and home, Work, home…**

**His knowledge is limited down to cashing up groceries and sending them off with customers he forgets the faces of in the next second. He’s almost forgot his own face, there's been a familiar smile plastered on it for every stranger he meets at work otherwise he feels he’ll go home broke.**

**Why hold himself so tight?**

**The questions unanswered. Sicheng has never known much else other than get work done and earn your pay. Hard work pays off. That's it.**

**What else is there to his story?**


	3. 제 1 장

**The fine dust in the air was gonna be bad today.**

**Yuta felt heavy but well rested when he woke up, he woke curled up in his bed like any other night. Retrieving his phone from the cold empty side of his bed he checked the time.**

**10:00.**

**“Coffee’s still good”**

**Slumping from his bed he stretched…His morning plan. First he brushed his teeth. That’s been the only good habit he’s kept since childhood, it's not normal for him to miss brushing his teeth. After brushing his teeth he splashes his face wet with cold water throwing off any drowsiness that hung on him after he actually began moving. He looked at himself in the mirror for a moment adoring the little rush from the water.** **_Nothing changed, as much as he wanted to see a different man in the mirror._ **

**He still looked into some deep piercing eyes and sharp defined face he was gifted with except, he looked strangely dull. Young and lively features he adorned-anyone would call him attractive whether he believed them or not but he just..looked like he was missing something.**

**Maybe the hardships of his childhood hung around to show in his adulthood.**

**Heading outside after shrugging on a jacket and his old slightly worn boots he steps out onto his front porch.**

**The sun had risen a fair amount but the sky was a little too clear for Yuta’s liking. He hated rain but he loved to have graying clouds looming over his head. The air was a quite chilly but dew still sat upon the yard and made the long overdue tall grass shine.**

**Releasing a breath Yuta instinctively took out his lighter and slipped a fresh pack of cigars out of the mailbox. With a couple clicks he had lit himself a cigar and plopped the stick between his lips, the smoke he inhaled clashed over his just cleaned toothpaste taste he had in his mouth. The heat filling his chest felt relaxing, the dull burn in his throat pleasing.**

**Birds chirped overhead and he watched them flit from tree to tree the scene getting occasionally fogged over from the clouds of smoke he exhaled over his head.**

**All too soon he had burned the cancer stick dangerously close to its end, flicking the ash off the cigar he dropped it smothering it beneath his boot to be forgotten its flame being crushed. Turning on his heels with a sigh he headed back inside.**

**“Edythe” he called for the only other soul in his residence. His cat.**

**The animal did not respond to his call but arrived when he had set a fresh cat bowl of canned tuna out.**

**“You should come when i call you” he scolds lightly to the feline curling around his legs slyly inching toward her food.**

**With a soft mewl of apology the cat digs in leaving Yuta to sit at the table he sits at two times a day staring at the empty chairs around him. He thought of what to do, he knew first off he would be visiting the corner market for some cigars but other than that his schedule seemed empty. He had no job...**

**It's a classic story he doesn't like to tell anyone. The day he was fired from the job he had for almost a year because his “Smoke breaks” were taking away his career. Since then he's refused to look for another source of income and he survives off what little is left in his bank account, he’s not paid his rent house bills twice now even though the houses in Ulsan aren't that heavy maintenance. Don't get him wrong he’s not a unkempt man he’s just laid back and doesn't care much about responsibility until it begins to cost him lots.**

**Edythe fed up and finished with her breakfast came to rub around Yuta’s ankles stirring him from thought. Her sleek soft pitch black fur was fuzzy from the rain yesterday, her alert dark chartreuse eyes peered up at him.**

**“What you lookin at?” he smiles a little scooping his only friend up into his arms. She purred in response snuggling into his chest. “Ima looker arent i?” he jokes to her staring back at the feline.**

**She purred again stretching a paw up to jab his chin playfully as if she understood him. Yuta chuckles poking her nose. “Don't you oh please me pretty girl! everyone wants a piece of m--”**

**A strange but familiar sound from the sink a few feet away cut the pair off.**

**… “....Shit”**

**Quickly with a growl Yuta tossed Edythe to the floor before racing to the front door because he knew the sound all too well. The sound of the water company coming to turn his water off.**

**“Hold it!!” he barks when he finds a ahjussi by his yard, tools out and working to turn his water off.**

**“You've not paid your bills!” the elder shouts back when he’s interrupted. Yuta groans, he knew he should've but he kept putting it off. Similar to any other time this happens he gives them the same lie**

**“I'm paying it today”**

**The Ahjussi pauses but he only readjusts his cap to hide his graying hair throwing Yuta a apologetic shrug “Sorry kid, until you pay. No water”**

**That answer made the annoyed Yuta angered and he swore under his breath “Whatever” he retorts to the Ahjussi as he shuts his water supply completely tipping his hat to him “Sorry, Have to do my job”** **  
** **Yuta bit back his smart reply which was “Your ass should be retired” as he stomped into his house. Edythe completely unharmed from being tossed away had just happened to greet Yuta by nudging her empty water bowl to him.**

**He stopped shutting the door rolling his eyes at his cat “Sorry miss puss they just cut the water” he grumbles stepping past. Edythe as if in understanding mewled lowly.**

**“I don't normally do this but here i'll have my cereal dry today” Yuta who was fortunately grateful to his feline poured the remaining amount of milk he had in the fridge into her empty bowl.**

**Collapsing onto the couch he sighed rubbing the bridge of his nose. He was still upset about his lack of H20 but he knew in the back of his head.** **_Situations like this wouldn't happen if you would keep up with your life._ **

**Things were not easy for him though…things have never been easy for him.**

**He dwelled a little more on his wishes for a better life but like every time came back to the same thought that his wishes for the better were a dead dream and he should drop it and take it easy, that's always been a goal of his. In school he always thought he was gonna live the low chill life and he does to a point but it costs him a bunch and that's where he’s built up the habit to shut down rather than buckle down.**

**The initial “Would I be better if I got a job again?”**

**“Would i be better if I quit smoking?”**

**“Would I be better if I wasn't alone?”**

**These questions he asked himself but his same 3 responses to those were always “You’ll get fired”**

**“Your a Heavy Over addicted smoker, no getting out of that”**

**“Nobody would wanna waste time on or with you”**

**In conclusion he had to keep walking the low paths. If low life aspects and lifestyle ways was where he belonged, that's where he’d stay.**

**Before he knew it he was back on the porch burning down 3 cigars in hopes of the nicotine to kill some bad vibes and the bad start to the morning. Once he was cool headed he checked back up on Edythe contemplating what to do again.**

**Two Choices, Cigarettes or Water bill?** **  
** **…**


	4. 제 2 장:

**Sicheng clocked in around 7 a little sleepy, he had got himself a energy drink to sip on and was currently munching on candy behind the register. Not many customers showed up this morning but he knew he would have a rush in a bit as the day raged on.**

**“No get gummy worms--and some gum! Oh and some pop--”**

**“Jisung! We can't sneak all this into class we’ll get caught with a stash pick two things and lets go”**

**Sicheng hadn't been working here very long but long enough to say he had some regulars. He had a specific duo of boys every morning that came by.**

**Zhong Chenle & Park Jisung. Two boys who show up every morning to get a bunch of sugar and junk food before school to eat in class. They go to the nearby university Sicheng assumes although he hasn't asked. **

**“Acai Grape?”** **  
** **“No- Cherry bomb!”**

**Sicheng watches waiting patiently for the two to figure out their candy choice and check out. Chenle the older one is normally rushing the younger boy Jisung out but the younger is hella picky. “Ya know what-get both! Cmon” Chenle snatches both bags of candy from the small rack slipping them down the veyer belt to Sicheng which he immediately scans quickly summing up their total spitting it out almost robotically**

**“Total’s 5,000 won”**

**Jisung fumbles with his money as Chenle comes up behind him “You got it?”**

**“Yeah-wait no i'm short a dollar”**

**“How?”**

**Sicheng a smile still stuck on his face taps his finger in wait once again, shenanigans like this somehow made his day livelier but also tiring. He feels less monotone especially of the morning getting customers who are more upbeat.**

**“Pabo check your piggy bank later or no chicken nuggets tomorrow! Ahem” Chenle looks up to Sicheng waving “Hey man can you give us a little discount just today? We won't ask again” he speaks familiarly with him and so does Sicheng matching up with his tone. He tends to mimic those in interaction to better relate, if copying or relating has been his way to appease. Maybe these boys being close to his age made conversing easier?**

**“I don't know”**

**Jisung pouts “Please? Were your favorite customers aren't we?”**

**Sicheng smiles still “Favorites isn't really something I relate with well..”**

**Both boys continue to pout as a man approaching from behind in a black jacket steps in line empty handed. Sicheng was slow on deciding on letting the boys get away with another dollar as he knows it’ll become a habit and that can affect his record if he gets in trouble for it.**

**“It’s just one dollar we’ll promise to always pay again”**

**“We would go home and get the dollar but we’ll be late to school please Sicheng” They only begged more, Yes they knew his name from his name tag.**

**“..I--”**

**Suddenly the man behind the two regulars slid forward making both boys and Sicheng quiet and look at him. Sicheng in particular tensed up as the man stepped forward Chenle and Jisung stepping back as he moved.**

**For once Sicheng lost his robotic smile.**

**This taller man in all black, hood of his jacket pulled up and a matching black mask on dug in his pocket.**

**Sicheng stared frozen until he looked down as the man slid the missing amount of money across the counter to him slowly.**

**…**

**“I’ll pay for them” a husky voice mumbled belonging to this strange man.**

**The two boys didn't say a word at first and continued to stare. So did Sicheng, he’d met weird customers and creepy looking people but never once did he lose his happy worker facade. Why now?**

**Sicheng stared a few moments longer, he couldn't see this mans face, all there was to see was flawless skin and perfect eyes shadowed by his hood and the bottom half of his face hidden behind a mask. Dark brown bangs poked out over those piercing eyes-eyes that he didn't know one could be born with.**

**“Th-Thanks” Chenle spoke up thanking the stranger for helping him and Chenle out.**

**“Don't be” The man replied lowly. His voice was almost gravelly but mostly husky. Sicheng didn't know why but he wanted to see the lips that spoke those two words. Something-just something about this stranger had stolen his mental response and words, actions and whole train of actions.**

**_A simple stranger._ **

**“Yo Sicheng you good?” It took Jisung a few moments to talk again.**

**The students watched their favorite young cashier they didn't know much about other than that he was like a machine working and working almost emotionless freeze up and become unresponsive because of this stranger.**

**Somewhere inside him Sicheng found the will to move and take the cash slipping it into the register. His breath was shaky as he released it shocked that he was holding his breath in the first place. Quickly he handed the boys their merchandise and they waved awkwardly before scurrying off leaving him with the tall man who hasn't moved just like him.**

**He was staring at Sicheng. As he noticed before, this man had nothing in his hands. He just stood there motionless staring at the boy behind the register, the more he stared in silence the more Sicheng shrunk in his spot.**

**“Can you get me a pack of blacks cigarettes?” he suddenly asked in that husky voice.**

**The words came in slowly to Sicheng as if he was delayed.**

**Normally he would already be up and going doing whatever he was asked to do but things weren't working.**

**“...yes” he replied.**

**Still delayed he got up and turned to the other empty register behind it the cigars, e-cigs etc in their confinement locked up.** **_No wonder his voice is a little deep he smokes!_ **

**But..Why did Sicheng care about anything about this person?**

**He slipped the key to get in the case for all the smoking devices and cigars off its hook behind the desk still horribly tense as he found himself to be hyper aware of the eyes on him, he knew the man was watching him. He began to unlock the doors to the drawer but things were going so slow and he was so so..tense.**

**“Get your job done” A voice that came out of nowhere inside of Sicheng told him, the voice was his own.**

**This isn't normal and if things aren't normal for Sicheng things go wrong and that can't happen.**

**Returning with the cigars he rings the stranger up quickly.**

**The man pays as Sicheng almost whispers his total, the smell of cigars was so heavy off him that it almost made him cough.**

**“Aren't you gonna ask for my ID?”**

**The random question made Sicheng jump as he realized the man had just reminded him of protocol for drugs. It was his job to know that, he’s perfect at his job or at least he tries to be. It's not his first time selling someone something that he needed their ID for either. So?**

**What the hell has Sicheng so stumped?**

**“Ah yes I nearly forgot, I gotta check that ID” Sicheng corrects his mistake hoping his boss won't catch him being retaught basics from a customer. The man slides his ID across the counter that Sicheng takes taking a peek at it.**

**He was supposed to check the dates and important things on it but he only looked at the picture.**

**This man was..Good looking. Sicheng knew it was weird to say but this man's picture didn't look like a ugly mugshot that most ID pics look like. He looked like a Anime character come to life.**

**He also learned the strangers name.**

**_Nakamoto Yuta._ **

**Looks and name combined Sicheng looked at the man once more, He wore a mask unlike in the picture, they matched identities but Sicheng he..he wanted to see under the mask. He wasn't gonna lie and yes he was still shell shocked by his curiosities about a stranger. So many people come and go and he wants and feels so strange around this** **_one_ ** **man?**

**“Look I know the pictures not my best..”**

**The boy jumped quickly dropping the other’s card as he spoke clearing his throat, once again he was messing up his whole train of thought.**

**“Sorry” Sicheng apologized. What he didn't realize was that his new struggle to function was charming a stranger.** **_A stranger named Nakamoto Yuta._ **

**“Is it that ugly?” Yuta Chuckles**

**Sicheng shakes his head rapidly his bangs getting in his face as he noticed he was picking at his shirt. Fidgeting wasn't something he did, he lost the anxious habits in school in attempts to better his aura**

**_Was he...feeling shy?_ **

**Shyness and nervousness still hit him but it was rare these days. Nakamoto Yuta had sparked both feelings in him.**

**“No you..your gorgeous i just--Ooh!” Sicheng’s hands nearly clap over his mouth as his eyes widen.**

**New old emotion** **_Embarrassment_ ** **came to give him a warm hug and due to that his body reacts in ways it's not in a long time by turning red.**

**“Ha! Thanks” Yuta to Sicheng’s shock laughed.**

**Sicheng was blushing ever so pink mind blank on what to do with himself, He would never in a million years call a stranger Gorgeous. Who the hell does he think this man is?**

**“I'm Yuta, Nakamoto Yuta”**


	5. 3 장

**Yuta had been on a dead rush to get cigarettes instead of water but things turned upside down on his trip out.**

**Here at the moment, He stood with a foreign pride in his chest, a definite attraction to the boy behind the counter who had just called him Gorgeous and a** **headache because he needed to smoke. Long story short Het met a boy and he’s..done something to him.**

**Nakamoto Yuta is a loner, he’s a smoker, he doesn't care about anyone or anything except cigars and his cat.**

**But a cashier at a grocery store has him thrumming with something new.**

**Something new enough to make him wanna talk to him. Big step for the man.**

**“I'm Yuta, Nakamoto Yuta” Yuta introduced himself.**

**He should be long gone, groceries in hand at home smoking but things changed.**

**_Changed for the better unbeknownst to him and Sicheng._ ** **  
** **His eyes had been drawn to the softer ones of the boy, he had a cute soft face almost like he was airbrushed and made out of a flawless magic. Gosh Yuta almost felt insane. Something had clicked, like a switch he never knew he had in him.**

**Yeah he was a sucker for compliments but damn he never showed that in public, he was anonymous to the outside world in his view. So why did he inject himself into this boy's life? Should he take it back?-he cant take it back, He felt he shouldn't have fretted but he did. He didn't know what he was doing to be honest.**

**Talking to someone wasn't in his comfort zone but he was freaking doing it! Now…**

**_Would this boy talk back?_ **

**He sat there cheeks having gone pink after calling Yuta Gorgeous, he had to be younger, he was new or he had never worked up front because Yuta comes here more than twice a week but he hasn't seen such a innocent perfect face.**

**“I'm Sicheng, Dong Sicheng” The boy-Sicheng. Spoke back and with a easy tone that Yuta strangely caught what he thought was curiosity. He'd never been a talker so he worried for his skill in socal stuff and cues.**

**What he could be thinking is ease could be uncomfortable fear for all he knows worse…**

**Yuta cleared his throat again, his throat felt scratchy. He wore a mask because if the fine dust and he knew it would mess with his voice but he wasn't expecting to say nothing more than thanks or yes. Here he was beginning to actually communicate with someone.**

**The two stared at each other a moment before Sicheng’s eyes dropped from yuta’s making the male wonder if he was creeping him out or just shy. He wish he could better read others.**

**“Weird question but are you from Korea?”**

**Sicheng didn't seem bothered by the question, Yuta was bothered asking it because he didn't know why he was so curious about this boy unaware that Sicheng was feeling the same way. The more he looked at this boy he got more questions.**

**His speech wasn't the best and normally that meant that that person did not originate from this area so he questioned it..he thought maybe that would make the other self conscious as well but all of these red flags and thoughts and awareness didn't kick in until after the question had left his lips.**

**“No i was born in china i came here recently, I know my Korean isn't well i apologize” he said head dropping a hand coming to itch the back of his head.**

**Yuta absorbed his body language better than he expected. Sicheng was shy.**

**“No no don't worry it's ok, nobodys perfect..I'm not from Korea but i've been here for a long time so i understand your struggle” Yuta rounded the boys embarrassment. Yuta himself came from Japan and if anyone has a story about learning languages and adapting its him so he felt a step closer to Sicheng.**

**Sicheng felt a little better but more self conscious.**

**“Where are you from?” he asked Yuta**

**“Japan”**

**His husky voice we still muffled by the mask and Sicheng was getting more fidgety when he felt the want to reach up and pull it down, he wanted to see the rest of that face. He felt teased by seeing so little.**

**“Ah” Sicheng nodded**

**The two went quiet again and Yuta glanced outside, there was no line the register was empty except him granting him time with this new acquaintance. He knew he should've got a move on but he didn't get to it. Sicheng was scouring his entire mind for something to say, a hole in his anxiety was growing and he was inspired to converse more with this man.**

**“You still go to school or anything?” He asks randomly. Yuta shakes his head “No glad to be out of that mess”. Sicheng chuckles a little “Same I just got out when I moved”**

**“You passed the Gaokao?” Yuta questions. Sicheng cringes in memory of the exam that determined whether he would be free or stuck in a low life. “Just barely, got enough freedom to be here” he answers.**

**“Glad you made it” Yuta smirks**

**“Why do you say that?” Sicheng asks brow arching. Yuta shrugged “I wouldn't have met you just now if you hadn't”. Sicheng blushed unknowingly “You act like we've known each other, were still strangers”**

**“One point for you” Yuta chuckles. Sicheng perplexed but interested at this point by Yuta loses his stiff posture and rests against the counter still examining the seemingly flawless man who knows way better korean than him.**

**“What do I mean to you? We just met” His dialogue changes to his native language Chinese.**

**Yuta understood the boy answering back in his best chinese “You may not mean much to me but you mean something, your sweet I can tell”**

**Sicheng stands back up straight eyes widening after narrowing “You speak Chinese?”**

**“Of course, I studied abroad for a little while, I'm not perfect but I can get around” Yuta smiles happy to have impressed the boy.**

**“...a-are you trying to pick me up? You called me sweet” the younger adds his pink cheeks going a little deeper shade.**

**“I did..And? Does that bother you?” Yuta turns to face the boy slightly leaning over the counter that foxy smirk seeable through the mask making Sicheng gulp and back up shaking his head “Well uhm yeah i've said it several times now, were strangers”**

**“We don't have to be just strangers” Yuta said coarsely his hand coming finally to pull down that mask revealing the rest of his profile. Sicheng’s jaw barely dropped as he got to see plump lips pulled back in that smirk that sent hot tingles over his skin. His whole face was just as it was in his ID except 50 times hotter-Was that the word Sicheng wanted to use? No but it came out.**

**“...” he couldn't respond to anything and had gone into staring at the full handsome face of Nakamoto Yuta.**

**“Hey..”**

**Sicheng just about passed out. He wasn't breathing or he was breathing so shallowly that his body was going weak.**

**“I’ll see you again maybe?” Yuta smiles pearly whites shining bright. His eyes were so deep and mesmerizing. He had begun to walk towards the door holding back a laugh seeing how frozen and tiny Sicheng looked.**

**“Wait”**

**Yuta stopped at the boy’s command….”Mm?” he hummed inches from the exit head turning to look at Sicheng over his shoulder.**

**…**

**“Are you single?”**

**Yuta stopped in surprise…”Mhmm why?”**

**…**

**No response. He was speechless once again. Yuta chuckled under his breath once more before he turned his back pulling up his mask and leaving. The meeting between them wasn't normal and did not consist of normal exchanges but they didn't know it wouldn't be the last time they saw each other. Mixed and curious first impressions were the best for the two.**

 


End file.
